A Hazy Sunrise

Smoke drifting from nearby wildfires is covering Vancouver with a thick smog.

The skies over Vancouver have been covered in a thick haze this past week from smoke drifting in from wildfires out east. From my window, I can usually see the mountains in North Vancouver, but now they are completely hidden behind the smog.

Yesterday, I woke up early and was greeted by a fiery red sunrise. Under normal conditions, the sun is too bright to look at directly, but because of the thick haze, it glowed an intense red. I tried to capture the sight with my camera, but the photo I took couldn’t exactly replicate the apocalyptic scene I saw.

B.C. is under a state of emergency due to the 123 wildfires burning across the province. The news says it is now the worst fire season in six decades. Officials have issued an air quality advisory for seniors, children, and people with medical conditions to avoid strenuous exercise outdoors.

Another report says the air quality in Vancouver is now worse than the air in Beijing. When I look around outside from my window, I see what I imagine must be similar in Beijing. The only difference is Vancouver has more trees while Beijing has more buildings.

I hope blue skies return soon, but if these conditions persist, air purifiers and breathing masks will be a common sight here as it is in China’s capital.